I planned to join Jeanette Lendon of Jet Black Squares for a smartphone workshop around St James’s Park. Then in the afterwards follow the free art walk from the NYX Hotel in Holborn. This was a smartphone only day!
South West Trains did their sometimes train shuffle at Woking. This when a train from Alton is joined to my train from Basingstoke. I skipped Leake Street and went on to Westminster on The Jubilee Line.
Westminster
This gentlemen’s coat fascinated me as I rode the escalor up from the platform.
Outside the station the pavement was full of visitors capturing pictures of the Elizabeth Tower. Over the road I went to Parliament Square. Our meeting place was by Churchill’s statue.
I keep trying to find an original view around Churchill’s statue.
St James’s Park
We walked down Great George Street into the Park, and headed for the lake.
Alongside the path as we walked around the lake presented lots of opportunities to practice!
In a corner of the parktowrds Birdcage Walk we went into the copse of trees to wait for birds to gather above us. Not many came but when they did they were very close. I wasn’t doing very well capturing them either on the phone.
Outside the copse we watched a couple feeding the birds from their hands. After a few minutes they were leaving and offer us their packet of nuts for us to try.
And another came…
Jeanette captured these pictures of us feeding the birds.
Here’s a very different view of Horsegaurds across the lake.
On the opposite side of the lake we were walking towards the St James’s Café. The wildlife were very tame. Our hope was to see the pelicans but they proved elusive.
It was now gently raining…
Reflections on a metal structure at the side of the path.
This heron was standing in a large open space.
Amongst the trees near the café.
To get out of the rain we had an early break and settled for delicious hot chocolate.
Whitehall
As we crossed Horseguards the rain started again.
Despite the white lines visitors were still going up to the horses. Even worse were the phones with bright lights when videoing the King’s Guard.
Some reflections as we we walked towards Westminster Underground.
The NYX Hotel -Holborn
This post had popped up on my Instagram:
From Holborn Underground station I walked to the NYX hotel and scanned the Free-Ze London Art Tour QR Code.
This month, the city’s most art-driven hotel is bringing creativity to the streets of Holborn with The Free-ze London Art Tour: a free, self-guided walking route that spotlights vibrant art, culture and character of the surrounding area.
Curated by street artist Dan Kitchener, the creative mind behind NYX Holborn’s striking 125ft mural, the 60-minute route takes guests beyond the hotel’s own art-filled walls to discover a mix of galleries, exhibitions and street art, all within close proximity to NYX itself.
The experience begins at October Gallery, just two minutes from NYX. Catch Frieze Masters exhibitionist Kenji Yoshida’s luminous paintings, which fuse Japanese tradition and European modernity for a fresh take on abstract art. A few steps further lies MAMOTH, where art enthusiasts can immerse themselves in Bad Attitude, an exhibition by LA-based artist Jarvis Boyland, capturing lived experiences through oil on canvas.
Next, take a stroll to Holy Cross Church and dive into its New Wave exhibition, showcasing a diverse collection of works spanning sculpture, collage, and photographic prints from emerging artists. Close by at domobaal, experience Dermot O’Brien’s ode to contemporary art, (Not Only) But Also, an exhibition comprising tactile sculpture that’s both playful and profound.
The final stop on the tour celebrates how art can be found anywhere and often unexpectedly, with a stroll through Theobalds Road showcasing underground street-artist Apparan’s ‘Just Keep Going’ series, amongst other striking works. Cast your gaze upwards and you’ll spot NYX Hotel Holborn’s very own 125ft mural – the tallest in London. Created by epic scale street artist, Dan Kitchener, the piece commemorates the rich vibrancy of London and the people who inhabit it.
Accompanied with this map…
Before starting out on the walk ,in the rain, I walked around the hotel to see all the art by Dan Kitchener and on Instagram.
Unfortunately closed – Sunday…
I went off the mam down the Gray’s Inn Road to see this.
On Theobalds Road.
Back inside the hotel I checked in with reception and showed them my walk’s progress and received the promised beanie.
I will have to go back to the hotel to explore the art in the public areas. Sadly I had to turn down the offer of a free cocktail as I had to dash back via two Underground lines to Waterloo to catch my train home.
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